UK folk stars The Magpies return to team up with local star Terra Spencer for a fantastic double-bill at The Carleton on Thursday, September 11th. Show time is 7:30 PM. Tickets are an affordable $30 + HST. This is going to be a dynamite show, we’re excited about it!
Transatlantic folk band The Magpies are quickly becoming one of the most exciting and innovative acts on the contemporary roots scene. Combining sublime harmonies with exquisite musicianship and impressive songwriting, The Magpies traverse Anglo and American roots, drawing inspiration from traditional Celtic folk, bluegrass and Appalachian trails, to create an effortless melting pot of music.
Accomplished musicians in their own right, founding members Bella Gaffney (award winning singer-songwriter, guitarist and banjoist) and Holly Brandon (acclaimed fiddle player and tunesmith) perform alongside gifted singer-songwriter and guitarist Ellie Gowers. These talented young musicians work collaboratively to create their fresh brand of transatlantic folk and champion gender equality in the music industry, with a fervent thread of feminism running through their music.
In their live performances, The Magpies have been exceptionally well-received, touring extensively throughout the UK, with festival highlights including Glastonbury, Cambridge, Larmer Tree, Shambala, Towersey and Deer Shed and international performances in USA, Canada, Ireland, Portugal and Luxembourg. Their live shows are known for their high energy and wry delivery, transporting audiences to distant lands with ethereal voices and glistening instrumentals.
‘One of those effervescent albums you’d be happy to recommend to people who might not consider themselves folk fans’ – The Sunday Times
‘Folk with finesse’ – The Daily Mail
‘Check that album out! Really good mix of songs and instrumentals – they’re great players!’ – Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
Bad ideas, VCRs, crumbling factories, hairy dogs, questionable tattoos…all are fair game for Nova Scotian funeral director-turned-songwriter Terra Spencer. And the songs are good ones, judging from the stack of awards her three albums have received and from the caliber of collaborators like Ben Caplan, Dave Gunning, and David Francey, who welcomed Terra as a co-writer and performer on his JUNO-winning album The Breath Between.
Terra has just released her fourth solo album, Sunset, named the Penguin Eggs Album of the Year alongside Julian Taylor’s Pathways. Its dozen songs feature guests from East to West – Matt Andersen, The Bombadils, Ryan Cook, Ian Sherwood, Pillow Fite, and Stephen Fearing. Although her butterscotch voice, deft fingerstyle guitar, and gospel-charged piano make her a formidable musician, it’s her onstage ease and crackling homespun wit that make each show feel like a knee-to-knee conversation in a room of 5 or 500. “The real deal.” – Ron Sexsmith